Andy Reid believes Ireland can show style

Andy Reid broke with recent tradition for an Irish central midfielder on Tuesday by looking to get on the ball

Andy Reid is convinced that Ireland have the players to turn on the style when the opportunity arises..

The 31-year-old Nottingham Forest midfielder was perhaps the most high-profile victim of former manager Giovanni Trapattoni's dogged adherence to a 4-4-2 formation, which depended on his two central midfield players providing a shield in front of the back four.

That meant the kind of invention he could provide - admittedly, a spat with the veteran Italian at the team hotel following a World Cup qualifier victory over Georgia in Germany in September 2008 did not aid his cause - could simply not be accommodated.

Trapattoni's critics grew increasingly weary of his intransigence, and his former charges produced a refreshing fluidity in Tuesday night's 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan, admittedly against more modest opposition than much of what they had faced during the previous five and a half years.

Reid said: "Obviously when we play against some of the top teams, the opportunities don't arise as much and we just have to accept that.

"There are going to be times when we need to dig in and make things difficult for other teams, but there's no reason when we play against teams like Kazakhstan why we can't get the ball down and play.

"At times, we did that last night and if we work on that and we work on that kind of style, then there's no reason why we can't get better at it."

Trapattoni's departure last month after defeats by Sweden and Austria ended Ireland's hopes of reaching next summer's World Cup finals in Brazil, brought down the curtain on an era which divided opinion.

Under the former Italy boss, Ireland only just missed out on a trip to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in controversial circumstances, and they did qualify for Euro 2012 via the play-offs, although they performed poorly in Poland and Ukraine.

However, while results were largely positive for the first four years of his reign, too many performances were less than edifying, and matters came to a head during the campaign which has just ended.

Even interim manager Noel King was criticised, somewhat harshly, for attempting to shut up shop away to runaway Group C leaders Germany on Friday evening, and for not beating the Kazakhs more handsomely four days later.

However, Reid insists there is cause for optimism, and that the mood within the camp is positive as the players await the appointment of a new boss.

He said: "There always has to be positivity and optimism. Everybody is very proud to play for their country and pull on the green jersey, so that reflects when we go out on the pitch.

"Okay, results haven't been fantastic and performances haven't, but that doesn't mean that people haven't given 100 per cent and that's what everybody in the squad, I am sure, will continue to do for the new manager when he comes in."